Differential Resistance among Host and Non-host Species Underlies the Variable Success of the Hemi-parasitic Plant 
            Rhinanthus minor

This work aims to study the effect of different host species on physicochemical and biological properties of the Saharan parasitic plant Cistanche violacea that grows parasitized on two hosts Haloxylon articulatum and a Limonistrum guyonianum in the eastern desert of Algeria. The physicochemical characteristics of C. violcea showed an affinity for the results of both ash and pH and it showed a difference in the amount content of carbohydrates and the value of electrical conductivity. For the content of polyphenols, flavonoids, anthocyanins and tannins the highest values were recorded in C. violcea, which was parasitized on H. articulatum. While, the results of HPLC have identified nine compounds in the crude extracts of the parasitic plants and their hosts in different concentrations. In antioxidant activity, the tannin and anthocyanin extracts from C. violcea parasitized on H. articulatum showed better inhibition of DPPH• radical and best the total antioxidant capacity respectively, but the tannins extract of C. violcea parasitized on L. guyonianum given best reducing power capacity. In SPF assay by UV-Vis spectrophotometry method, all extracts of the parasitic plants showed mild to moderate sun protection. Statically the host variation did not show any significant differences in the physicochemical analysis and the quantitative and qualitative total content of polyphenols. While the significant differences appeared through the antioxidant activity tests, especially between C. violcea and its host H. articulatum, between C. violacea and its host H. articulatum and between the two samples of parasitic plants.

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The host range and selectivity of a parasitic plant: Rhinanthus minor L.

Oecologia ◽

10.1007/bf00379116 ◽

1989 ◽

Vol 78 (3) ◽

pp. 401-406 ◽

Cited By ~ 106

Author(s):

C. C. Gibson ◽

A. R. Watkinson

Keyword(s):

Host Range ◽

Parasitic Plant ◽

Rhinanthus Minor

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Genetic variation changes the interactions between the parasitic plant-ecosystem engineer Rhinanthus and its hosts

Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B Biological Sciences ◽

10.1098/rstb.2010.0320 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 366 (1569) ◽

pp. 1380-1388 ◽

Cited By ~ 25

Author(s):

Jennifer K. Rowntree ◽

Duncan D. Cameron ◽

Richard F. Preziosi

Keyword(s):

Genetic Variation ◽

Host Species ◽

Species Interactions ◽

Parasite Species ◽

Ecosystem Engineer ◽

Level Structure ◽

Genotypic Variation ◽

Parasitic Plant ◽

Host Genotype ◽

Essential Components

Within-species genetic variation is a potent factor influencing between-species interactions and community-level structure. Species of the hemi-parasitic plant genus Rhinanthus act as ecosystem engineers, significantly altering above- and below-ground community structure in grasslands. Here, we show the importance of genotypic variation within a single host species (barley— Hordeum vulgare ), and population-level variation among two species of parasite ( Rhinanthus minor and Rhinanthus angustifolius ) on the outcome of parasite infection for both partners. We measured host fitness (number of seeds) and calculated parasite virulence as the difference in seed set between infected and uninfected hosts (the inverse of host tolerance). Virulence was determined by genetic variation within the host species and among the parasite species, but R. angustifolius was consistently more virulent than R. minor . The most tolerant host had the lowest inherent fitness and did not gain a fitness advantage over other infected hosts. We measured parasite size as a proxy for transmission ability (ability to infect further hosts) and host resistance. Parasite size depended on the specific combination of host genotype, parasite species and parasite population, and no species was consistently larger. We demonstrate that the outcome of infection by Rhinanthus depends not only on the host species, but also on the underlying genetics of both host and parasite. Thus, genetic variations within host and parasite are probably essential components of the ecosystem-altering effects of Rhinanthus .

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The contrasting roles of host species diversity and parasite population genetic diversity in the infection dynamics of a keystone parasitic plant

Journal of Ecology ◽

10.1111/1365-2745.13050 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 107 (1) ◽

pp. 23-33 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Jennifer K. Rowntree ◽

Hayley Craig

Keyword(s):

Genetic Diversity ◽

Species Diversity ◽

Host Species ◽

Population Genetic ◽

Parasitic Plant ◽

Parasite Population ◽

Population Genetic Diversity ◽

Infection Dynamics

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The effect of host defoliation on hemiparasitic-host interactions between Rhinanthus serotinus and two Poa species

Canadian Journal of Botany ◽

10.1139/b99-012 ◽

1999 ◽

Vol 77 (4) ◽

pp. 523-530 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Susanna Puustinen ◽

Veikko Salonen

Keyword(s):

Host Species ◽

Poa Pratensis ◽

Parasitic Plant ◽

Poa Annua ◽

Total Biomass ◽

Root Hemiparasite ◽

Host Interactions ◽

Relative Value ◽

Grass Hosts ◽

Host Parasite

We determined in a greenhouse experiment whether experimental defoliation of the host affects the performance of the parasitic plant and whether the effects on the success of the parasite depend on the host species. We also asked whether two species of grass hosts differ in response to simultaneous defoliation and hemiparasitic infection. The experiment had a complete 2 × 3 × 2 factorial design, with host species (Poa annua L. or Poa pratensis L.) combined with defoliation (undefoliated, 50% defoliated, or 100% defoliated) and hemiparasitic infection (parasitized or unparasitized). Defoliation reduced the final biomass of both host species. However, total biomass and the number of flowers produced by the hemiparasitic Rhinanthus serotinus (Schönh.) Oborny was reduced only when the host was P. annua and when the host was completely defoliated. Rhinanthus infection significantly decreased the final biomass of both host species. However, the two hosts differed in their responses: the biomass of undefoliated P. annua plants was reduced four times more than that of undefoliated P. pratensis plants. The results indicate that the relative value of different host species depends on the intensity of defoliation.Key words: root hemiparasite, host defoliation, host-parasite interaction, Poa annua, Poa pratensis, Rhinanthus serotinus.

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